Carton-blank separating and feeding mechanism



Jan. 7, 1930.

E. G. JURGENS ET AL.

CARTON BLANK SEPARATING AND FEEDING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 1929 @2678 K eckyr Jan. 7, 1930. E. G. JURGENS ET AL CARTON BLANK SEPARATING AND FEEDING MECHANISM Fil ed March 8, 1929 2 sheets -sheet.

Patented Jan. 7, 1930 UNITEDFSTATES PATENT eFFicE" EMIL G. JURGENS AND HAZEN KIRKE BECKER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO PETERS MACHINERY COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS CARTON-BLANK SEPARATING AND FEEDING MECHANISM Application filed March 8,

This invention relates to machines for separating paper or cardboard blanks, one by one, from a stack of blanks in a supply magazine and delivering the same to conveying means whereby they are advanced in position for receiving subsequent operations.

The main objects of the invention are to provide improved means, in machines of this class, for positively lifting portions of the uppermost blank of a stack of blanks and retaining the same from frictional engagement with the next successive blank during subsequent horizontal movement to eflect improved feeding of a single blank at a time.

In the accompanying drawings we have shown a specific embodiment of our invention in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation of the machine.

i Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front end elevation of the upper portion thereof.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan showing the carton blank magazine and the separating mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line l4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 6'6 of Fig. 3.

The machine illustrated is'of the same general class as that shown in our patents Nos. 1,555,857, October 6, 1925, and 1,638,518, Au-

gust 9, 1927, and in our application Serial No.

283,882, filed June 8, 1928, relating to means for individually feeding cardboard blanks, one at a time, from a stack of blanks, cut to the requiredform for'folding into cartons.

The present construction is designed to separately feed the carton blanks consisting of various grades of cardboard irrespective of the nature of its surfaces, whether rough, smooth, corrugated, or waxed, and to overcome adhesion between the cut edges of blanks.

In general the mechanism comprises suction. heads for lifting the front corner portions of the uppermost blank of a stack of blanks vertically and a cooperative toothed element which frictionally engages the inter- 1929. Serial No. 345,484.

mediate portion of the blank, for moving it horizontally. A retaining finger prevents the rear edge portion of the blank from being urged rearwardly while the toothed element moves the front and intermediate portions. of the blank causing the rear portion to buckle. The suction heads release the front corner portions when they have been moved over rests provided for receiving and holding them from engagement with the next successive blank of the stack and the retaining finger subsequently releases the rear edge of the blank allowing the buckled portion to straighten out and causing the rear edge of the blank to be projected between a pair of feed rollers which completely remove the upmeans of which it is raised together with the stack of blanks. The stack raising mechanism is actuated under the control of a finger 5 which determines the amount of movement of the support in such a manner as to maintain the top blank of the stack at a pre determined elevation as set forth in the above mentioned application.

The blank separating mechanism comprises spaced suction heads 6 each mounted on the tube 7. The tubes 7 are adjustably secured to one arm of a bell crank lever 8 pivotally mounted on the frame 3. The lower arm 9 of each bell crank lever is provided with a cam surface which bears against rollers 10. Each roller is carried by a separate collar 11 fixed to an oscillating shaft 12 mounting on the front end ofthe machine. The arms 9 of the bell crank levers are connected together by a shaft 28.

idly secured on the end thereof'and slidably connected with a pitman 14. The rear end of the pitman 14 is journaled on a pin 15 carried by a disc 16. The disc 16 is mounted on a ro- V tating shaft 17 which is operatively connected with the rotating shaft 18 b driving mechanism, not shown in the drawings, but fully set forth in the above application. The shaft 17 is timed so as to complete one revolution for removal of each blank from the stack.

The suction heads 6 are communicatively connected with a cylinder or pump 19 mounted on one of the legs of the frame as shown in Fig. 1 by conduits 20. The piston rod 21 of the pump 19 is operatively connected with the rotating shaft 18 by a link 22 and an arm 23 keyed to the shaft. 7 7

The carton separating means also includes a friction or toothed element 24' carried by a bell crank lever 25 pivotally mounted at the upper end of the arm 26. A spring 27 urges the bell crank lever'25 to rock in such direction as to cause the friction member 24 to bear downwardly upon the top of the stack of carton blanks which are indicated at 2, (in Fig. 4). The action of the frictiondevice 24 on the uppermost blank of the stack of blanks is to .cause it to buckle away from the remainder of the stack. The separated blank is at thistime prevented from sliding off of the stack of blanks by'retaining fingers 27 which are rigidly secured "to a shaft 28. After a blank has been buckled, the fingers 27 are rocked away from the edge of the blank and permit the blank to spring back into flattened condition with its edge in cooperative relation with belts 29 and 30 on rollers 31 and 32 respectively. ,The retaining fingers 27 V are rocked in this manner by means; of a cam, not shown in the drawings, cooperating with a roller 33 ontheend of an arm 34' fast to the When the above described machine is in operation, the suctionheads 6 lift the front corner portions of the uppermost blank of thestack upwardly and the friction elements 24 urge the front and intermediate portions of the blank rearwardly while the rear edge of the blank is held fast by fingers 27. The sucg, 7 tion heads 11a the front portions of theblank above the rests or fingers 35 whichextend into cut-out portions of the blanks and by the time the suction has been discontinued byreversal of the direction of movement of the piston of the pum the blanks'have been moved reartional engagement between the two uppermost blanks is thus avoided. The buckling of the forward portion ofthe blank away from the stack minimizes frictional engagement between the forward portionsof the two tered or omitted withoutdeparting from the V spirit of this invention as defined by lowing cl aims.

We claim: 7 a 1. In a carton blank separating and feedthe foling mechanism, a support for a stacklof carton blanks, a rest on said support, suction means for liftingportions' of the: uppermost blank of said, stack above said rest, a'- friction device and retainer for respectively engaging the surface and edge of the uppermost blank, Y

and means for moving said friction device towards said retainer for depositing said lift ing portions on the rest and supporting other portions of said blank from said stack.

2. In a carton blank separating and feed: ing mechanism, a support for a stack ofcar ton blanks, suction means for lifting" portions of the uppermost blank from said stack, releasable retaining means for an edge of said blank, means for buckling other portions of said blank away from the next successive blank for avoiding friction engagementhei tween the two uppermost blanks ofsaid'dack,

and means for releasing said suction means and said retaining means from saidblsnk to respectively cause the pro ect1on of seed buckled portion from said stackand; allow subsequent completeremoval: of said blank therefrom.

3. In a carton blank separating and feeding mechanism, a support-for a stack of carton blanks, suction means for liftingi'portions of the uppermost blank from said stack, a

pump for energizing said suction means, friction elements for urging said blank forwardly V after'portions thereof have been lifted by said suction means, and actuating mechanism operativelyiconnected with said, pump and friction elements for operating the same a predetermined time sequence.

' r 4. In a carton machine means for separating and feeding carton blanks from a stack individually, comprising suction elements for lifting portions of the uppermost blankiof said stack, a pump for energizing said suction means, friction elements for. buckling other portions ofsaid blank away from the stack, and actuating mechanism operativelyconnected with said suction means, pump and friction elements for operating the same: in a predetermined sequence. I p "5. In a carton machine, means-for separating carton blanks from a stackcomprising spaced suction heads for turning up opposite corners of said blank, friction means for urging said blank rearWardly thereafter, driving means for oscillating said suction heads and friction elements, and a pump operatively connected with said driving means for energizing said suction heads before actuation of said friction elements and deenergizing the same thereafter to facilitate rapid release of said blank.

Signed at Chicago this 5th day of March EMIL G. J URGENS. HAZEN KIRKE BECKER. 

